Leyland600:
Hi Lawrence, I remember a couple of wagons belonging to T T Walker coming to Wigton with two loads of bricks about 1950/51 for a new house being built near my parents home, I was just a boy of 9 or 10 at the time. One wagon was an AEC I distinctly recall with a high traditional radiator probable a Mk 1 Mommoth Major or Monarch painted red with T T Walker on the door, thinking back I suppose it could have been an ex BRS motor after the de-nationalisation of BRS about that time. I still live only 100 yards away from this house.
Cheers, Leyland 600.
Hi Leyland 600, A pal of mine worked for them at that time, He drove a O Model 4 wheeler Bedford & used to load back from Cocklakes With plaster boards & bagged board finish, The good old days IMO,Regards Larry.
your mention of Hexham reminds me of many a family âdiscussionâ in the car. During family holidays over the past 25 years, as we went past a town, my wife would ask whether it was worth visiting. Since my visits to almost every town in the UK were in the early seventies, and usually to the roughest part, my answer was almost always negative. Wife and daughter usually outvoted me and we went anyway, almost always finding a decent shopping centre and somewhere nice for lunch. The best example of this was Hexham. We were passing on the A69. Since Iâd only ever delivered timber to the chipboard factory (my uncle Jack always chose well weathered trees to go there - they paid by cube and not weight and I can remember being pulled to the front of the queue once when they saw that the logs I was carrying had the bark falling off - anyway, I digress) I had only ever seen the industrial estate, my solid opinion was that it was a dump!
Outvoted as usual by the females - even the little dog on my wifeâs knee was a â â â â â - not that I meanâŚ
Anyway some 10 years ago we visited Hexham, a beautiful market town, with all the shops occupied and mostly locally owned. (obviously, I donât know whether itâs changed since) So, now when we go past any town and Iâm asked my opinion, I hesitate (Newark was anotherâŚ) then say âwell, letâs go and see.â
John
Hiya,
John you would no doubt have to pass the BRS depot, (now an agricultural machinery
outlet I think) and quite close to the chipboard factory I only ever remember calling
in there once for fuel when I worked at a BRS depot in Consett but making for BRS
Team Valley for security being loaded with Teachers whiskey which would allow me
a legal dodgy night at home being en-route to the London Docks and my home depot
not being security coded with transportation to and from the Valley via Mrs Gillâs taxi.
thanks harry, long retired
thechink1968:
I believe a gentleman called Ivan Watson was traffic manager at Northumbrian Roadways
At the back end of the 1960âs Ivan was the head man; he lived in Lemington. At that time Jack King ran the traffic. Earlier than that, Jack King used to work for Suttons of St. Helens at Gilesgate when Ted Curtis was the Traffic Manager. Jack used to write his notes in Pitmanâs Shorthand so that Ted wouldnât know what he was doing. Jackâs last job was to open a clearing house for A-One Transport of Leeds on the Quayside in Newcastle. When Jack King retired, Brian Ingham took on the job. Brian later worked as manager for Stanton Grove who handled the paper coming in through Tyne Dock.
Hi postal
Ivan is still going strong he is 90 and lives in Throckley
I drove for TTW, In1968 for two weeks, I had a Commer 4 wheeler tipper in Northumbrian R/Ws colours, I donât remember the T/Ms name but he wasnât a very pleasant bloke at all, I reported a dodgey tyre to him and he said It would be looked before I went out the next day, But It still had the same tyre on, So I confronted him and he said donât worry about It as I would be getting a 4 wheeler Seddon as the driver named Tommy Money was leaving, But then I found out that he had told serveral drivers the same tale, Then of course he wanted to keep his drivers happy, The Commer Reg was HNL.â â ?D which in fact was a load of crap to drive so I just packed in and went to Smilers for the second time driving a 6 wheeler Dodge Tipper BJR 310 B, A much better motor with good tyres, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
I drove for TTW, In1968 for two weeks, I had a Commer 4 wheeler tipper in Northumbrian R/Ws colours, I donât remember the T/Ms name but he wasnât a very pleasant bloke at all, I reported a dodgey tyre to him and he said It would be looked before I went out the next day, But It still had the same tyre on, So I confronted him and he said donât worry about It as I would be getting a 4 wheeler Seddon as the driver named Tommy Money was leaving, But then I found out that he had told serveral drivers the same tale, Then of course he wanted to keep his drivers happy, The Commer Reg was HNL.â â ?D which in fact was a load of crap to drive so I just packed in and went to Smilers for the second time driving a 6 wheeler Dodge Tipper BJR 310 B, A much better motor with good tyres, Regards Larry.
Would I correct in saying the T/Ms, Name was a Mr Bold â â ?, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
I drove for TTW, In1968 for two weeks, I had a Commer 4 wheeler tipper in Northumbrian R/Ws colours, I donât remember the T/Ms name but he wasnât a very pleasant bloke at all, I reported a dodgey tyre to him and he said It would be looked before I went out the next day, But It still had the same tyre on, So I confronted him and he said donât worry about It as I would be getting a 4 wheeler Seddon as the driver named Tommy Money was leaving, But then I found out that he had told serveral drivers the same tale, Then of course he wanted to keep his drivers happy, The Commer Reg was HNL.â â ?D which in fact was a load of crap to drive so I just packed in and went to Smilers for the second time driving a 6 wheeler Dodge Tipper BJR 310 B, A much better motor with good tyres, Regards Larry.
Lawrence i drove for them late sixties i think memory not good i had a guy big j 6 with 220 â â â â â â â used to do bicc out of wrexham and birds of stratford on Avon with scrap cars had to haul crushing machine from tees side to newcastle one night told to not go over 20mph it was on three axles trying to get over 5 mph on a1m impossible thought guy was going to dye as for maintenance never did mine get a sevice in 6 months time i was there drivers a can member was little Jacky and harry from winlation and a lad called drew who drove one of the transcontinentals the guy was okay but i got of accused of fuel fiddling but had not if you sor exhaust in dark on M62 it was like a after burner out of a fighter jet kept the ice down transport manager then was taff evans
Here are a few I took today at Marsden, the drivers were giving me some hard looks. I wonder if they thought I was a nosey lorry hater gathering evidence, or a VOSA man checking them out â â Regards Kev.
Lawrence Dunbar:
I drove for TTW, In1968 for two weeks, I had a Commer 4 wheeler tipper in Northumbrian R/Ws colours, I donât remember the T/Ms name but he wasnât a very pleasant bloke at all, I reported a dodgey tyre to him and he said It would be looked before I went out the next day, But It still had the same tyre on, So I confronted him and he said donât worry about It as I would be getting a 4 wheeler Seddon as the driver named Tommy Money was leaving, But then I found out that he had told serveral drivers the same tale, Then of course he wanted to keep his drivers happy, The Commer Reg was HNL.â â ?D which in fact was a load of crap to drive so I just packed in and went to Smilers for the second time driving a 6 wheeler Dodge Tipper BJR 310 B, A much better motor with good tyres, Regards Larry.
Lawrence i drove for them late sixties i think memory not good i had a guy big j 6 with 220 â â â â â â â used to do bicc out of wrexham and birds of stratford on Avon with scrap cars had to haul crushing machine from tees side to newcastle one night told to not go over 20mph it was on three axles trying to get over 5 mph on a1m impossible thought guy was going to dye as for maintenance never did mine get a sevice in 6 months time i was there drivers a can member was little Jacky and harry from winlation and a lad called drew who drove one of the transcontinentals the guy was okay but i got of accused of fuel fiddling but had not if you sor exhaust in dark on M62 it was like a after burner out of a fighter jet kept the ice down transport manager then was taff evans
I can remember Taffy Evans, He went on to train HGV Drivers in the 70s, IIRC He went to work for John Arthurs at Throckley after that A chap worth watching IMO, Regards Larry.
kevmac47:
Here are a few I took today at Marsden, the drivers were giving me some hard looks. I wonder if they thought I was a nosey lorry hater gathering evidence, or a VOSA man checking them out â â Regards Kev.43210
I run out of there when I worked for Alex Smiles in the 90s. There was a bugger in the terraced houses when you turned right out of the quarry used to watch from his upstairs window and if you had no sheet on he would take your number and shop you.
I used to load maglime at Marsden Quarry in the 70s, Quite often to Seaham Harbour for shipment, I also remember a Scammell Artic tipper owned by Cheviot Gravel Co, The chassis snapped on the unit when the driver pulled away loaded, It stood there a day or two before it was taken away IIRC It was a Hoyner trailer, Regards Larry.
Ive just had a phone call from Mick Finley, And sadley to say he told me that Ronnie Tailford passed away today, My condolences to his family, RIP Ronnie, Regards Larry.
Hopeing to have a chat soon with Norman from Shildon area,who used to drive a Scammel Crusader for
Direct at Shildon,then last i saw him to chat to was on Shaw"s in Cabberboard at Cowie,Stirling,A gentleman!
he came down to Devon alot,wen he loaded back off us wen i drove for Harris & Miners of Devon!!
Norman croad,TorquayâŚ
Shame about Ron Tailford Larry, I knew him from Van Hee, Ron wasnât everyoneâs cup of tea but I got on well with him, shame I was unable to make the last Van Hee drink as I think he was there. Condolences to the family and RIP Ron.
Frankydobo:
Shame about Ron Tailford Larry, I knew him from Van Hee, Ron wasnât everyoneâs cup of tea but I got on well with him, shame I was unable to make the last Van Hee drink as I think he was there. Condolences to the family and RIP Ron.
He was indeed there
Sorry to hear this sad news you have a safe Last drive condolence to his Family
